Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1887-02-13

n IL strange t18e 4ue1 a. ofE8nlB4~
tEss e MS uas sos fsrmsd Ianx $50
Tbers hass far ysszs bssn seAttsrsd
AID inespendsnt 0Ezanizations Of naval
veterans. buf 10 nafional orRanizaaion
has hsrslofsss been astempted. There
i moeh god that msy Be done b such
% nnaionat orzaniznfion. and Il Is bzi
nnfarsl thas thoss pks psrtieipassd in
tes naval operations durine The Rebel
los should desire 70 keep fresh the
memory Of their part IL the aEsas sfFuR-
ele, and 70 csnfinae. in some sort, 70
Ione e they i've she associations vhieh
tksy formed during he years Of baiais.
Tbs opsFations Of the nary daring the
var are n danger Of being uudsresli.
mated uhsn conparsd with she greater
BAT scarcely less important operations
o. land. In she contemplation Of what
vas accomplished b the Esstsrn and
Western armies peopis are 100 liahie 10
forget ths naval operations on SEA ooast
and river. aud even 70 forget hos much
The success Of tie srmies dspended up-
on tbs assissancs rendered them b. the
fissts. Exeeption might possibly be
taken 20 the statement that the rebel
lion eould nos have bsen subdned With
eai the assistznss Of the navy, but II IL
certain that without sach assistance
the struggle w0ald have been longer
and HsrosE, and Il can readily Be be-
lisysd that 70 have conquered the South
b. land operations slone would have
nseessitatsd drain upon the resources
Of the NerthsFn States which they
would not aad could not have stood.
The Western armies in their opera
tons from Fort Donelson 30 VieksburR
were supported in every move By the
feets operating on the rivers. and on al
least one occasion the assissanes rem
dsred By the gunboats did much toward
saving the Army Of the Tennessee from
dsstrustion. The vaIus Of the services
rendered By the navy At the siege Of
vieksburg cannot Be over estimated. In
the East also, the operations Of the Davy
we're Of the utmost assistance TO the
land forces. and many Of the most Inn
portant military operations we're ren-
asred possible only By the support ex-
tended By the navy. The danger which
on mors than one occasion mepacsd the
Northern sssports, vas also averted By
the prompt and effective action Of the
naval authorities.
But, perhaps, the most valuable SER
vice rendered b. the navy during she
var was the blockade Of the SoutheFs
ports. Had Il not been for the frm
barrier thus drawn around the Confed
eracy, the struggle might have been
prolonged indefinitely. The great mari
time nations were IN complete sym
pashy With the south. and their people
would havs been Rlad 10 furnish II
with arms and munitions Of var TO any
extent. Even when attended with the
dangers Of blockade running. lively
traffic in oontraband goods was carried
on with the Southern states By subjects
Of Great Britain, and, had 1t not been
for the blockade. that traffic would have
been extended indefinitely. With free
intercourse With England and France,
the South could have prolonged the
struggle for many months. or even
many years, after the time when, az IL
vas. she was compelled to lag down her
arms, exhausted, bafiisd aud hopelessly
beaten.
Il is not, however, the services
Of the navy in the Rebellion
alone which have been uuderesii-
mated. or, rather, which have NOT
been remembered as they should have
been. Important as the part taken by
the navy in all Of our wars has been,
that branch Of the service has not re-
eeived the popular recognition which Is
its due. This is attssted By one fact. II
by nothing else. While a number Of th Z
Presidents have besa selected from tbs
army and selected because Of theiI
military services alone. ne President
has ever been taken from the Bavy
Though there have been great mel in
the navy and though they have accom-.
plished Rlorisus and striking deeds
none of them has ever been seriously
considered e. q candidate fos The Presi
dency. This indicates. In striking
manner, The relative estimation in which
the services Of the army and those O
the navy are held by the PEG
pie. Il is 70 Be hopsd that the Nationa
Association Of Naval Veterans will b
able TO keep fresh in the minds Of ths
people the great achievements Of th'
saw during the var for the Union.
The association starts. well on It's ca
rssr. 10 has chosen for iss chief sxecn'
tive ofiaceF, or. as 10 is termed. for ii
Commander Ne. O. W. Adams. Of Chi.
eaeo, the General wests rn Passenger
Agent Of The Pennsylvania Railroad
and one Of the most able and efiieisn
railroad men in the United States. A
new organization which requires ct III
head . man Of great executive ability
could do no better thAa select him from
among the leading railroad men Of th'
eonAtFy, and u 10 not easy 10 tell wher'
such . man should be souRht, II moi
among the managers Of the great Penn
sylvaniA system, with whom method
order and energy seem 10 be second
nature. Commodore Adams will Prov
10 b. Just such head IS the Nasiena
Association OF Naval Veterans needs u
start Il on = career Of usefulness and
prosperity.
The ether oiiiosFs are also well chosen
The Commander IL Charles A. Stillman
es Hartford; the Secretary william Sim
moas. Of Philadslphili the Paynasssrr
q. II. Grove. Of New York; and the SuF'
esoa, J. d. marry. Of New York. Thus
equipped. and guided BY such Eaen. the